[The red Hollow Gate in NeoCaster became front-page news across the globe. Since its appearance, there had been no fluctuations. Survivors ejected from the light gate, whether alive or dead, were all mentally broken beyond recovery.]
Their brains had been irreparably damaged. Within a single day of hospitalization, many attempted suicide. All survivors reported hearing the same thing—a whisper.
It was an ancient voice, unlike any known language. Grand and mysterious, it haunted their minds, transforming them into unrecognizable people. More than two hundred Demon Slayers entered the red Hollow Gate, and not one emerged coherent enough to recount what lay within.
What horrors had they seen? Why did the survivors attempt to take their own lives? The internet buzzed with speculation—until days later, Shiel, the nation's top Demon Slayer, finally returned from the most mysterious Hollow Gate in history.
Fethan awoke two days after returning. He was under intensive, high-level care. It appeared Lumi's parents had covered all medical expenses. Doctors and nurses eyed him with fear, worried he would lose his mind and end his own life like the others.
Fortunately, that didn't happen.
Thanks to Shiel's foresight, the first page in his notebook contained clear instructions to immediately erase ten minutes of memory from both himself and Fethan upon arrival. This procedure would permanently damage parts of the brain, but it was better than madness.
Fethan's memory of directly confronting the grotesque statue was blurred—which was a mercy. Even if it cost him brain cells, he didn't care. The mere thought of that presence made his skin crawl. He had never imagined something with such overwhelming power.
It was just a statue. But it had shattered hundreds of lives by being looked at.
Now that a coherent survivor existed, the media swarmed Shiel. As the head of the Demon Slayer Unit and a public figure, he disclosed everything about the Nameless Forgotten City—except for Fethan.
Fethan's identity was tightly protected. His name and face were never revealed. Thanks to Lumi's parents, he was able to retain his peace. Meanwhile, the Sterling family was holding a funeral for Luminus while her lover and brother still lay hospitalized.
Her body had been handled hastily, buried before Fethan even regained consciousness. It had been tainted by dark ritual, and though her family wanted to honor her properly, they had no choice but to bury her before things got worse.
Everyone assumed Fethan would be devastated. He'd received hundreds of condolence messages and missed calls while unconscious. But Fethan wasn't in mourning—because he knew the woman he loved still existed in Everland.
Late at night, in his hospital room, Fethan was finally well enough to stand.
The first thing he wanted to do—was see her.
"Open the gate," Fethan incanted, summoning the portal to Everland. A white light gate materialized in the hospital room. His body was pulled in, and clarity returned the moment he opened his eyes.
He stood in a realm vastly different from the outside world—a vast, open land surrounded by endless black void, rich with condensed spiritual energy. The atmosphere was entirely alien. In his green patient gown, Fethan surveyed the domain he ruled, unable to describe how he felt.
It was a land where he could do anything.
This was the beginning of his greatness. Fethan felt it.
On a lush green field stood a pink-haired girl surrounded by wolves. Her hair fluttered in the wind, carrying a faint, familiar scent. He longed to hold her, to never let her go.
"Lumi," he whispered. The girl froze, then turned and beamed.
"Fethan!" she shouted, launching into his arms. She underestimated his physical recovery and accidentally tackled him to the ground, straddling him. Fethan blinked at her from below. Everything—her touch, her face—was exactly as he remembered.
"It really is you, Lumi."
"Duh. What, did you think I was a ghost?"
"You are a ghost."
"Fair! But I'm the prettiest ghost in the three realms!" Lumi laughed unbothered and got off him quickly, worried things might get inappropriate. Both their faces flushed. So much had happened so fast, neither had time to prepare.
"Lumi..." Fethan stood, then embraced her tightly. Her eyes widened as he held her like he feared she'd vanish.
"It's okay. I'm here," she smiled softly, running her hand down his back. His tears fell onto her shoulder as he sobbed with guilt.
"I'm sorry, Lumi. I killed you. I'm so sorry."
"No, I should thank you. Because of you, I get to see you again. Thank you."
"You're not mad?"
She shook her head. "How could I be mad at you? I don't even know if I'd have made it to heaven. Maybe I'd have gone to hell. But because of you… I didn't."
She laughed again, bright as ever. That sunflower smile lifted the weight from Fethan's chest. His eyes were red, his shoulders trembling.
'She's always like this. Always the one to make me feel better. Crazy girl…' Fethan had braced himself for scorn or blame, but Lumi was still Lumi. She understood him like no one else. He didn't realize how long he'd been staring until she glanced away.
"You're staring too much."
"Ah—sorry," he turned away, then peeked back, reaching out to grab her arm.
He wanted to ask everything.
"Lumi… do you remember anything about who killed you?"
"I'm sorry. My last memory was entering the gate. After that, nothing. I woke up here."
"You're weirdly okay with dying."
"I always knew I had a dangerous job. It's not strange to die young. But yeah, it was shocking to die at 24." Lumi folded her arms, pouting. She spoke of her own death like it was no big deal. Her attitude nearly drove Fethan insane.
He and Shiel had feared for her mental state. But here she was, utterly unbothered.
"But you didn't have to die. Especially not by being murdered with dark magic!" he growled, gripping her shoulders, fear in his eyes.
"I almost lost you. If my system power hadn't awakened, you'd be gone. Don't treat this like some natural death. You were murdered."
"I know," she said bitterly. Her cherry-red eyes gazed into his. "But I don't want those I love to suffer for someone already dead. Of course I want revenge too—even if I don't know who they are."
She chuckled weakly. She knew she'd been killed—but remembered nothing. How could she summon rage with no memory? Fethan sighed, pained by her innocence.
"I'll find them. Maybe they're connected to my mother's death."
"Your mother? Why?" Lumi's expression turned serious.
"Fourteen years ago, she entered a Hollow Gate. I saw a Reaper follow her in. When the gate closed, she returned… soulless. Her body twisted just like yours. Same curse. Same ritual. They didn't take someone precious from me once—but twice."
His eyes brimmed with hatred. Even if Lumi accepted her death, Fethan never would. His grudge burned deeper than ever.
He had vowed: he would find them, and they would pay.
"Count me in," Lumi said firmly. If they'd only targeted her, fine. But if they'd targeted Fethan's mother? That was something else entirely. There could be more victims. Maybe she'd unknowingly gotten involved in the ritual that caused it all.
'If they go after my little sister next… even if I'm dead, I'll crawl from hell to kill them.'
Lumi took Fethan on a stroll through the barren realm. Hellhound and Werewolf spirits played tag nearby—no longer the terrifying beasts who nearly killed him. The Reaper now sat on a rock, staring into the void, stripped of purpose. They'd been in Everland for days now and had accepted their fates—as servants of a human they once despised.
Spirits in Everland lost hostility toward the realm's lord immediately. They were forbidden from betrayal. The Reaper now saw Fethan not as a worthless human, but as a worthy master.
As for the wolves? They were thrilled to be here.
No more hunger. No more predators. Immortal and free from suffering, they had gladly accepted Fethan as their lord.
They played soccer with a makeshift ball of bound grass. Lumi had taught them the game out of boredom. Thankfully, they were smart enough to learn.
"Let me play too!" Lumi dashed into the field, stole the ball from a glowing blue wolf, and passed to the Werewolf, who danced past defenders. Her bright smile and liveliness masked something deeper.
Fethan knew. He'd been with her ten years.
No one accepts death easily, no matter how optimistic.
'Lumi…' Fethan wiped his eyes. After surviving hell, he'd protected her soul. She lived on here, and he could be with her again.
Maybe this wasn't so bad.
'I'll build her a great castle. Make her a princess. Give her friends, joy, freedom. She'll never be bored again. I own this dimension, and she'll rule half of it.'
'I'll develop Everland to the limit. Maybe someday I can resurrect her. If I do… maybe we'll have two or three kids. Retire somewhere quiet, after I've taken revenge.' He began planning his life. No matter what came next, he would give her happiness.
But then—
[You have completed all quests.] [Generating new main quest...] [Abnormality detected.]
His smile froze.
[Main Quest: Soul-Erosion Curse] Details: Luminus Sterling, your beloved, is afflicted with the Soul-Erosion Curse—an ultimate curse that corrodes the foundation of the soul. You have 666 days to resurrect her before her existence is destroyed and transformed into something unnameable.
Countdown: 665 days 23 hours 59 minutes.
"...."
Fethan stared at her back, the girl he loved more than life itself. He had thought their happiness was beginning. He had thought he could enjoy his SSS-ranked system.
But that hope had been naive.
Fighting the Reaper and escaping the Nameless Forgotten City wasn't the end—it was the beginning.
His eyes filled with pain and sorrow.
Why couldn't this world let him be happy?
"Ah… ah… ah…" Fethan choked, tears flooding down his face.
Why?
Why now?
Why must happiness always be torn away from me?
Why is it always me who suffers this way?
He screamed the questions into his soul. God or fate—whoever it was—he hated them. Rage erupted, consuming his mind.
'Why Lumi too…?'
The most important person in his life—the world still tried to take her, even after he'd stolen her back from death.
"Fethan! What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Lumi saw his tears, kicked the ball away, and ran to him. He forced a smile and wiped his eyes.
"Oh, nothing. I'm just glad my future wife is still here."
"Idiot," Lumi giggled, blushing. She ran off again like a rabbit, back to the field. But the wolves protested her ditching the game, and a playful scuffle broke out.
Fethan clutched his chest with trembling hands.
'She must never know.'
Lumi had suffered enough.
'I'll save her. No one—no god, no monster, no law—will stop me.'